LEE HUTZULAK IN CONVERSATION WITH DEEP TISSUE
COMPONENT ENVY: A GUIDE
CO N T E M P O R A R Y A R T A N D I D E A S
MAY/JUNE
2008
www.front.bc.ca
PM 40015809
ENVIES
SINGLE ISSUE PRICE CAN $3.95
+
STAR WARS
CO N T E N T S
CONTEMPORARY ART AND IDEAS
ENVIES
FRONT magazine is a journal of contemporary art and ideas. It is published five times a year by the Western Front Society Publications Programme. Views expressed in front are those of the individual editors, writers or artists. Images and text remain the property of their respective copyright holders, and all data is protected according to the terms of Canadian privacy legislation. FRONT always invites letters and submissions,in electronic form, or hardcopy. Please do not send original work, since we do not return submissions.
Possession, as everyone knows is at least nine tenths of the law, and the rest is available for a small surcharge. The have–nots may well stare as the well-heeled drive by, but even Leona Helmsley’s dog has twelve million bucks while they have babkas, and less, as some are every day reminded, is not now, nor will it ever be, more. Go green!
U P C O M I N G S E P T E M B E R | O CTO B E R E 2 0 0 8 : TO L E R A N C E S E D I TO R , A R T D I R E CT I O N & D E S I G N ANDREAS KAHRE
CO V E R
M A N A G I N G E D I TO R & P R O D U CT I O N M A N A G E M E N T LEANNE JOHNSON
PERCEIVED NORMAL
P R O D U CT I O N I N T E R N DENIZ MERDANOGULLARI
BY CARL GOPALKRISHNAN
SUBSCRIPTIONS & MAILING MICHAEL BIRCHALL DISTRIBUTION C O R N E R E D W I L LO W MAGAZINES CANADA
R E P E ATA B L E 26
BY ELIZABETH FISCHER
F RO N T M A G A Z I N E 3 0 3 E A S T 8 T H AV E . VA N C O U V E R , B C , C A N A D A , V 5 T 1 S 1 PHONE: (604) 876-9343 FA X : ( 6 0 4 ) 8 7 6 - 4 0 9 9 VOICEMAIL: (604) 878-7498 E M A I L : F R O N T M A G A Z I N E @ F R O N T. B C . C A W E B : W W W. F R O N T. B C . C A P R I N T E D O N 1 0 % P C W PA P E R B Y R H I N O
SUBSCRIPTIONS $18/YEAR ($40 INSTITUTIONAL) $ 4 0 / Y E A R TO G E T H E R W I T H WESTERN FRONT MEMBERSHIP SINGLE COPY SALES PRICE: CAN $3.95 PRODUCED WITH SUPPORT FROM
V O LU M E X I X , N U M B E R 3 M AY | J U N E 2 0 0 8 ISSN 1187-5267 PM 40015809
Envies PAGE 2, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
SWEDE THE CARPENTER
D E PA R T M E N T S 6
FOUND AND RECENT
6
PUMP, BY IGOR SANTIZO
7
THE HOMELESS DOCUMENTATION KIT
8
CORRESPONDENCE
27
SPECIAL SECTION: WESTERN FRONT PROGRAMME EVENTS
42
THE FRONT ADVERTISERS’ CALENDAR
Carl Gopalkrishnan is an Australian visual artist, writer and photographer. The theme of this photo (part of a series of three) is finding our political identity, or rather, how the culture we discover has been designed by the decisions of others right or wrong, it becomes what is perceived as 'normal'. It was created as an exploration of children being taught the meaning of Sept 11 and the Iraq War in Australia. His online portfolio is available online at www.carlgopalkrishnan.com
Artists Projects
SPECIAL ELECTRONICS F E AT U R E S FEATURE:
DARSHA HEWITT’S Images
DAEMON DETECTION CIRCUITRY
DRAWING 5
Page 16
CONVERSATIONS W/DEEP TISSUE BY LEE HUTZULAK
PHOTOGRAPHY 2
UNTITLED BY BYRON BARRETT
44
UNTITLED PHOTGRAPHY BY JEFF OTTO O’BRIEN
ASSEMBLAGE 10
AND SO IT’S NOW WE CHOOSE TO FIGHT BY CHRISTOPHER OLSON
20
THE WORLD OF NO PLACE BY PENNY LEONG BROWNE
25
CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST BY JEREMY TODD
Text FICTION 11
STAR WARS BY KIM GOLDBERG
18
PHOTO BOOTH BY CHRISTINE LECLERC
19
THE INVESTMENT BY SANDRA YUEN MACKAY
INTERVIEW 12
COMPONENT ENVY AN INTERVIEW WITH DARSHA HEWITT,
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 3
Call for submissions: September October 2008 Tolerances
CONTEMPORARY ART AND IDEAS
WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH, OR IS IT EVER? NESTLED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AND A BAD CASE OF FRICTION FIT, THE TOLERABLE USUALLY EMERGES ONLY ONCE WE HAVE GONE BEYOND WHAT FLESH AND BLOOD CAN STAND. MEANWHILE, WE DO OUR BEST TO SQUEEZE BY. SOME EVEN SAY THAT’S WHAT WE DO BEST, BUT WE WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? MIND THE GAP.
For submission guidelines, go to: www.front.bc.ca
Envies PAGE 4, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
ARTISTS PROJECT | DRAWING
Conversations w/ Deep Tissue
by Lee Hutzulak
Ink on Paper 12.5" x 16" Winter 2008. Lee Hutzulak is a Vancouver artist and musician. His work can be viewed at www.leehutzulak.coms
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 5
FOUND & RECENT
Pump
by Igor Santizo
Envies PAGE 6, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
Pump, Bowl, human-hair wig, rubber pump. 2008. Igor Santizo is a Vancouver-based artist
FOUND AND RECENT
Wordmark Emphasis
Centre Placement for maximum visual Impact
Lead Sponsor Positioning Wordmark Emphasis
Scannable Data Block
Positive Event Identification
Lead Sponsor Positioning
ABOVE: The recent “count” of homeless people in Vancouver has produced controversial results, but may produce an even more controversial result, if this leaked document of a ‘homeless kit’ which would include a “Homeless Identity Card” and a “Homeless Person’s Cheque”, complete with Olymic sponsorship, is any indication of things to come.
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 7
CORRESPONDENCE
UPCOMING
From: jayson crane Subject: Carrot Cake Blues Date: April 22, 2008 8:43:37 AM PDT To: frontmagazine@front.bc.ca so, after watching a documentary called bozo texino about train hopping and the various hobo artworks on the trains i fell into wandering about clark street and surrounding industrialized drone zone, keeping my eye out for rare north american gypsy art to snap digitalized photos of, being fully aware of the contradiction that that is...on one of my many forays into the land of autobody shops with large steel doors, fences in disrepair and topped with unnecessary barbed wire, and floppy wooden staircases to brick walls i spotted Sam's Bakery and thought it would be romantic in a Kerouac kind of way to stop for a coffee and pastry of some sort, maybe write whatever was happening outside. i rang the door chimes, the sound of voices and clangy working coming from somewhere in the back. an old haggard looking chinese woman came out in dirty smock and irritation. i asked for a coffee and a piece of carrot cake covered in icing and sliced almonds, a crafted icing carrot the raison d'etre...she pointed to the self serving coffee urn behind me with exasperation, then got me my carrot cake before dissappearing into the back again, a volley of angry curses being thrown about back there like it was a war zone of pastry
Photo by Zy-Xin
creation...hmm, must be good shit, i thought in naivety... i stirred my coffee with a communal spoon sitting on a dirty napkin u are supposed to use to wipe spoon clean before next person uses it...i then sat down at a table by the window and picked up a strange bottled gooey concoction on a styrofoam plate, just like the one my carrot cake sat, and the plate made a loud ripping noise as it peeled off the greasy table...i looked around realizing everything was coated in this thin film of grease...grease? in a pastry shop? my feet squeaked as they unstuck themselves with each step.
CONTEMPORARY ART AND IDEAS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 TOLERANCES
getting myself comfortable and situated i placed my notebook down and placed pen in mouth, staring out the window in wait for great enlightenment...i couldn't think of anything to write, looking out the splotchy filthy window was making my eyes hurt, like i had cataracts or something, no matter how many times i blinked the splotches stayed...i took a few sips of the weak coffee and thought at least i can enjoy a nice piece of
SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE: July 1 ADVERTISING DEADLINE: August 15 CALL 604.876.9343 E-mail: frontmagazine@front.bc.ca
carrot cake...i jabbed the cake with my plastic fork, noticing that all the moisture seemed to have been seeped out at some earlier day, and placed it in my mouth, chewing slowly to savor the...i winced at the acrid taste, it didnt taste like any cake i have ever had, like drywall covered in sour cream...it was then that i noticed a layer of dust coating the icing, and it was then that i also realized that it was covered in this icing to mask the
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 FINDINGS SUBMISSIONS Deadline: September 15 ADVERTISING Deadline: October 15
stale taste of the cake itself...or maybe it's because i just had some coffee, i thought, cutting out another piece and placing it in my mouth...i chewed reluctantly, and for some reason swallowed also...i looked about furtively, making sure no one was looking, rolled up the last of the cake in a napkin and tossed it in the trash before leaving...
Envies PAGE 8, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
for more submissions details, visit our website at www.front.bc.ca
IMAGE | SCULPTURE ARTISTS PROJECT | ASSEMBLAGE
And so it's now we choose to fight by Christopher Olson
Envies PAGE 10, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
TEXT | FICTION
Envy accumulates in space. Stars, being suspended in space, are consequently exposed to ever greater amount of it, which may lead to unfortunate results.
Star Wars
by Kim Goldberg
It was a night like every other for the skyful of stars. They twinkled merrily, light of heart and mind, with nary a care in their pretty little stellar gasses. Things had been going on this way since eternity (or possibly just 13.7 billion years, depending on whom you spoke to) without a hint of petty jealousies over who was the brightest or best positioned. This equanimity was possible because each star abided by a solipsistic worldview, believing it alone existed while all others were mere projections (astral projections, if you like) of its consciousness. But on this particular night, a line of enquiry was cast into the celestial pool. An insignificant star in the lower right quadrant (not even assigned a constellation) winked out the following question through a series of solar flares: How do you know that you are the real one and not a projection? The heavens grew uncustomarily quiet while the stars blinked slowly. Having posed the question, our Philosopher Star set off across the universe on a solitary search for meaning (as Philosopher Stars are wont to do) and was never seen again. A great deal of flickering ensued until the firmament was in such a selfdoubting tizzy that it scarcely knew which way to turn. This confusion left the stars vulnerable to exploitation by less scrupulous types. New stars emerged, peddling the Truth and selling it for $18.95 in paperback. Those with the best marketing plans soon each had a small flock of stars traipsing across the sky behind them. One particularly savvy truth peddler (who was up on Facebook before the others were even thinking about it) drew a vast following now known as the Milky Way. Flocks grew into empires, wars were fought, age-old stellar relations were ripped asunder. The astronomic tumult soon tangled the guy wires for the entire Known Realm. Birds plunged into mountains, planes into skyscrapers, sailors drank the sea, planets seared, orbits wobbled, electrons could not decide if they were particle or wave. The stars, meanwhile (having long since forgotten the instigating question), popped like kernels in hot oil, each offering up the mystery of its innards as it raced to be the biggest in the coming white-out.
Kim Goldberg is the author of Ride Backwards On Dragon and other books. She is currently being held hostage in a Scrabble factory while fellow poets raise her ransom.
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 11
TEXT | INTERVIEW
An interview with Darsha Hewitt
Component Envy Ottawa-based artist Darsha Hewitt travels with a
F: The other day you said that there is a “culture of hoarding” among
bewildering array of electronics that she used during
certain groups of electronics artists.
her recent residency at the Western Fronts to create circuitry to search for spectral phenomena. In talking
DH: I was thinking about the idea of envies, and of the little games I take
with her about her work, it became apparent that
part in with other electronics enthusiasts and hobbyists. It makes me
she is part of a community that is afflicted with an
realize how hoarding things makes me feel a little bit slimy at times,
unusual and specific form of envy.
because I like to think that material possessions aren't important, but when it comes to building your own electronics, it comes down to really special requests or things that sometimes only a very old electronic component can offer, and sometimes you can be enthralled in this quest to be one of only a few people who has this very special transistor or operational amplifier. To most of the people in the world it's absolutely not important, but to the little subculture of people who build electronics based on vintage parts it can be quite a competition. F: For someone who looks askance at materialism you are surrounded by an astonishing amount of stuff.
Envies PAGE 12, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
Above: Darsha Hewitt’s collection of components of experimental handmade electronics for a sound installation specifically at the Western Front called DAEMON DETECTION. For more information, visit www.darsha.org. Photo and interview by Andreas Kahre for FRONT
DH: What’s wild is that it all fits into a suitcase that weighs less than 40
For example, when I came here I realized that I wanted to build
pounds, although when I leave it'll weigh a bit more. In fact, even saying
these noisemaking devices that rely on a component they stopped
this makes me cringe a bit but there is a certain “as is” department store
making about thirty–five years ago because they realized it was a
here in vancouverthat is probably one of the greatest jewels for second
piece of crap; there is a lot of leakage and it picks up way too much
hand electronics in all of Canada. I’m not sure whether to say which it is.
atmospheric noise, but that is really important to me and a few builders who see it as a precious attribute of this component, called
F: Why?
the LM709CH Operational Amplifier.
DH: I'm pretty generous with my schematics and my tips and tricks, but
There is one fellow in the Netherlands who has stockpiled them
I have some buddies who are on the total opposite of the spectrum. They
and knows that he has really valuable parts for people who build,
say, "Don’t tell people about this store because people are going to buy
so he can afford to be a real jerk and provide shitty customer support.
up all the good parts.” As someone who teaches people how become
He knows he is sitting on a gold mine and he isn't going to budge.
more autonomous with electronics, it is a bit of a sore point for me. So I went to Main Electronics, who have a lot of warehouses space F: Is there a struggle between the desire to hoard and the need to share?
with dead stock, and I asked about the precious “OP amp” and they said “Oh yeah, we have that.” At first I didn't believe them, because
DH: There is hoarding, but it is a friendly competition between fellow
there is a vast array of this component, and they said “You really
geeks, I would say. One part of it is finding the quirks of an electronic
don't need this particular one — it’s obsolete,” and I said “Yes I do”.
component. You might be tinkering with a circuit and then you realize
It cost about three times as much as the guy overseas wants, but
such and such a pin or such and such a transistor makes for an awesome
just to make sure I will never have to deal with him again, I bought
result, you might not be willing to divulge the ‘sweet spots’ where they
every one I could get, and I now own them all.
can be found.
Darsha Hewitt is a Canadian artist from Ottawa Ontario. She makes sound installations and performances using experimental electronics and ageing technology. Her interest in working with electronic sound lies in its capacity to act as an audible indicator for processes, information and natural occurrences that we cannot see or that would otherwise go unheard. By handcrafting, rebuilding and cross-wiring basic electronics, she strips them of their commercial obligations and exposes them to the noisy and invisible ethereal realm. Darsha's artwork makes use of public vicinities and it responds to the environment or people that surround it. It often questions the role of automation in everyday life and how technology-reliant society silences and reinterprets identity.
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 13
Continued
Component Envy
Darsha Hewitt
Vancouver is actually a great place for junked electronics. I started biking around and there are a lot of Asian analog devices, like old 8-track recorders with great knobs and tape heads, or an old hobbyists circuit board I found with oddball integrated circuits. Of course, it's just a bunch of dirty old chips to everybody else, but to me it's potential gold. Another really big thing that electronics people have a fetish about is knobs, cause they're kind of expensive and if you want a certain aesthetic sometimes they cost a lot. I can't go past a television in the garbage without popping the knobs of. I've been told I have a nice collection of knobs...
I’ve been told I have a nice collection of knobs Recently I met my friend Luis Hernandez from Toronto, and I took out all my knobs and he took out his and we bartered, and oddly, the knobs he had that I was most intrigued by were a decent set of toothpaste tube caps. It's like trading baseball cards. Talking about it makes me think I would like to be above the need to aquire material possessions but there are some things I would really like to have. Envies PAGE 14, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
F: Do you recycle your components? DH: Usually the elements stay put but I have begun to put sockets into the circuit boards so I can pop them out and swap them if I need them. Sometimes a work might sell and you hope it goes to someone who can appreciate that one little component in it— the one that's making all the beautiful fuzz that you like so much. F: Is there one component that you would really like to have? DH: I would like to get my hands on some glowing Nixie tubes. They are early digital displays, old tubes with little numbers inside them. I find them quite beautiful, although building with them is a whole other story. Other than that, some Germanium diodes and transistors, and some top hat transistors would be nice, but I am pretty happy with my little collection right now. F: Apart from your knobs, do you have any other parts that you are especially proud of? DH: Definitely that LM709CH, and a few other components for making radios that are increasingly difficult to come by. I have some very nice capacitors, and a vintage British microphone called a Clansman that is pretty special. I would say the hottest thing I have going on are my knobs. People are really fond of those.
F: What do you look for in ‘vintage’ electronics? DH: Nowadays a lot of electronics are digital and mass-produced and something we call surface-mounted, i.e. teeny–tiny. A resistor that used to be the size of my finger is now so small you can practically inhale it. My father used to be an antique dealer and he dragged me around to auctions, and taught me how to date wooden furniture by counting the rings in the woodgrain, so now when I look at old electronics I look for the same kind of things. It's an appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. But sometimes, I can’t tell if it was made by a human or by a machine. F: Part of the appeal of vintage gear is the hand–built aspect? DH: Definitely, as well as the quality of the materials. There was a point when domestic electronics were developed to fit inside big furniture. The idea of making ornate electronics that involve fake wood grain, where an old world and a new world are colliding appeals to me. Now it has gone the other way, where you have furniture developed for electronics, or clothing configured to house your MP3 player. F: There seems to be an interesting tension between notions of perfection and imperfection. The components may be funky, but you talk about such things as the perfect diagram.
Above: the LM709CH operating amplifier. Drawing: Darsha Hewitt, 2008
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 15
Continued
Component Envy
Darsha Hewitt
Envies PAGE 16, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
Above: The White Noise generator.
DH: I don't even want to think about that. It’s sad. There is one artist from Ontario, Juan Gueuer—I think he's over 90. I had the opportunity to learn from him. He makes beautiful artwork that senses the natural environment with very limited technological means. He taught me to build a magnetic field detector using a lead weight, a little dish of canola oil, a mirror, a laser and a piece of human hair. People like Juan didn't have the Internet or IRC to inform themselves, but his book collection is amazing. It’s one thing to think about the material collection, but it's most poignant to think of the knowledge that would disappear. The way his generation worked was much more tied to the environment, and to nature; It saddens me most of all to think of these enormous libraries inside of a human mind that will soon be disappearing. F: How do feel about your collection. Is it growing, or complete? DH: I think of it as streamlined. I don't have a permanent address, so I have to make it portable. There are a few essentials: one is my Weller DH: Yes, I went to Lee's Electronics with my notebook of diagrams
soldering iron; another is my Dremel with all the different bits. It has
and list of components and the guy at the store pulled it out of my
gotten to the point where I have to make a difficult choice and minimize
hands and said “Oh my God, these are the most beautiful diagrams
my wardrobe in order to have space for gear. I like to have a good
I have ever seen! I went to Engineering school for five years, and
selection of clothing, but I am very proud of my collection right now. I
they never taught us how to draw like this.”And I said, “Well, I went
am pretty self-sufficient, and I don't need much help from the technicians
to art school for four years and no one taught us how to build
wherever I go, butstill, it would be nice if I had a real workshop with all
electronics. So, yes, nice-looking diagrams are appreciated.
my stuff and could keep collecting.
It's in organizing and categorizing your components where you
F: If for some reason you had to give your collection away, whom would
want perfection. I make bets with my fellow hobbyists, like “If you
give it to?
lose this bet you have to organize my resistors,” which never ends up working in my favour. When you build electronics, there are so
DH: Definitely someone who would appreciate and treat it well. There
many stages. It's like a treasure hunt, and it can be frustrating to
are maybe two people, my buddy Luis in Toronto and Michael Caffrey
get the proper components, or heartbreaking when your circuit isn't
in Ottawa whom I would feel comfortable giving my stuff to, although
buzzing or making the sound you want. When it finally works you
the aesthetic of my collection is very different; I use sewing kits and 60s
have to build a permanent version with a casing, and that's where
kitchen containers. I sometimes collect components simply because I
people who are really organized have it easier, but that's also where
like the colour or think they are pretty. It's a little more feminine, and I
a little bit of chaos leads to more experimentation, and it might
think they can appreciate the aesthetic, but I don’t think they would flaunt
give you different results.
it. I don't like to think about that, my collection is one of my main inspirations, but I think those guys who would know what to do with it.
F: When the old hobbyists die, what will happen with their collection?
Especially the knobs.
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 17
TEXT | FICTION
Photo Booth
by Christine Leclerc
Envy, being a relational phenomenon, relies on the capacity to imagine the self in conditions which would give rise to it, or cause it to abate— begging the question whether envy is the cause or the effect of the narratizing self.
There was a bright castle, in the distance of course. The castle was made of gold and Debbie ran to it in a miniskirt. She ran, free from any thought of injury. And as she ran she concluded that the miniskirt— a distant relative of the loincloth—was a joyous thing. And after a while Debbie came to a cloud lookout. The name of the lookout was Replete with Meaning. From the lookout she saw a billowing cloud ocean, zapped at the edges by sunlight. She saw the shape of a child falling, and a cloud replica of Amelia Earhart eating clouds for dinner. And there was a pod of cloud narwhals and seventy-three cloud ballerinas. “Mystics all!” Debbie declared as she pulled a camera from her purse, because what else was there to love besides taking a picture in the clouds? She snapped a shot. “I will bring this image as a gift to the queen,” she said as she returned to the cloud path that led to the castle. There were clouds above and clouds below, and cloud orchards in between. Beyond all this, there was a drawbridge, which she reached eventually. From up close the castle walls were so bright that they could not be seen. Debbie did a cartwheel. The drawbridge was open, and there were cloud guards who laughed and slapped each other on the back there. They even slapped Debbie and gave her a cloud lemonade. Over the bridge was a courtyard with cloud herbs and cloud musicians. But Debbie did not care for herbs, or music even. She walked into the castle. In the foyer stood the first fifty feet of the tower of Babel—crumbling, and crawling with geckos. Next, there was a room made up to look like something out of Night of the Living Dead. “How fantastic and like the world this castle is,” she said, and grabbed her camera to take a shot. But when she lifted her camera out of her purse there was no weight to it. And the lens was a cloud. And the flash let off vapour. She could not be sure that she had taken a picture. “At least I have a shot of the ballerinas,” she said to herself as she walked into a dark room. And the darkness thrilled her, because it reminded her how like a picture she was. “It’s like I am being developed!” She cried, and did a cartwheel.
Envies PAGE 18, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
Christine Leclerc lives in Vancouver.
“What are you doing?” someone asked. At least, Debbie
She soon found herself walking upright, in a way that defied
presumed it was someone, even though the voice seemed to
all previous uprightness. “Thank goodness I am on the straight path
come from every direction. She wrung the hem of her miniskirt.
again,” she said as her shirt snagged on what felt like a bramble.
But the question was repeated. Or perhaps it merely echoed. “I have a gift for the queen,” Debbie answered. And her own voice came to her ears from all directions too. “Are you sure you’re not here to explore the castle?” “There’s that as well.” “There’s that as well? Tsk, tsk, tsk.” “But I want to give the queen a gift, for real. I have a
She gasped, and soon felt as though she were in a wind tunnel. She bit her lip and the red carpet disappeared from beneath her feet. “Don’t let me get stuck,” she pleaded. Someone sawed the roof in two. Black dust fell like chimney ashes.
She cried and did a cartwheel.
gift inside my camera.” “Say, I were the queen.”
A mechanical hand reached in and caught Debbie’s ponytail.
“Say?”
It tore her from the bramble and dropped her into a fairground. People
“If I were the queen, how would you give it to me.”
rushed past and did not look her way. Debbie heard bells and engines
After some nose scratching, Debbie ventured, “I’d have
and the smooth sounds of polished cars traveling in straight lines
to find you first.” “Well, I’m not hiding,” said someone. “But you can walk the red carpet if you’re in need of a path.” And a carpet appeared. A red one. Only Debbie could not be sure that she had not imagined it. After a pause, Debbie
down the highway. There was vomit near the roller coaster. She wanted some lemonade. There was a concession stand next to the roller coaster. “But the lemonade is too far,” she said, trying to warm herself in a memory of cloud narwhals. And it occurred to her that she could still be inside the castle.
walked it. At first the carpet ran along in straight line, just like a
“Maybe I am developed now,” she said, leaning against an
sprinter. But after fifty yards or so, the line began to meander.
abandoned photo booth. She went inside to keep warm and feel some
Debbie could not be sure that she had not imagined the waver,
lights flash on her, maybe. Debbie sat down and held her skirt’s
so she wrung the hem of her miniskirt.
unstitched pleat in place. She took a few coins out of her bra and fed
The ground began to shake, almost imperceptibly at first, and then, enough to cause the carpet to ripple. “I wonder if I am still inside the castle,” said Debbie. It seemed strange for a castle so bright and shiny outside to be so dark within.
them into a slot, just to see. And then the light came. It blinded her for a bit. The light flashed four times. And a strip of pictures slipped into her hands. She examined
Debbie heard a plane crash and pebbles fall.
the Debbie-expressions—four of them, each in its own time apartment.
A cold wind and a bit of snow blasted her shoulder.
More than anything, the pictures made her look like a girl with a
She noticed that her purse was gone.
ponytail. They did not show her miniskirt, or the dark insides of the
And the carpet shot up into the sky like a laser.
castle. And they did not show the red carpet, or the everywhere queen.
Her nails cracked as she clawed her way up.
She studied the strip and a draft chilled her ankles.
Then the seam of a pleat on her mini-skirt split. Her
There was not a cloud in the sky.
sense of gravity split along with it. And suddenly, it seemed possible that the path was flat, and that the previous portion had been perpendicular. Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 19
ARTISTS PROJECT | COLLECTION
The World of No Place
Envy is rational. Seeing that another should possess what we desire leads logically to the desire to see them struck down so that we may pry the thing from their cold, dead hands and enjoy it ourselves. But since the rational is not necessarily ethical, or the ethical necessarily rational, we are left as we were — wanting.
(an exhibition of fetishistic desire of the commodified object)
by Penny Leong Browne The World of No Place is an ongoing work that explores narrative through the commodified culture of miniature objects. A series of photographs that include figurines, toys, bric-a-brac and collectible items from eBay create narratives of fetishistic desire through a commodified display of the miniature object. While the photographs themselves may or may not reveal a fetishistic desire on part of the person who took them, they are assembled in this project as offering the possibility of immanence within the reproducible object. Although the objects in these photographs can neither be touched, nor owned, they are nevertheless inviting a form of possession through the gaze. Through a “re-taking”of the photographs, each subsequent gaze upon the objects becomes amorphous, expanding the potentiality of the objects beyond their powers of seduction as material objects. I invite viewers of these “retaken” images to possess these objects, singularly and momentously, and to desire them to the point of envy.
Envies
Penny Leong Browne is an artist and writer. Recent activities include “ALISE 14” (machinima video, Abraham J. Rogatnick Media Gallery,Vancouver), “I dream about” (text-based video, E32, NYC), “The Gate” (avatar performance with Second Front, Interactive Media Art Lab, Brussels) and publication
PAGE 20, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
in the monograph, “Circulating Contexts – Curating Media/Net/Art”, Vienna).
We desire the small, the miniature, departing from its longing, to the point of envy of all that cannot be. Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 21
Continued
The World of No Place
by Penny Leong Browne
So, the desirous envy for small persists as long as the forgetting of a past, the denial of a future, as deep as the dreaming of the present, exalting our servitude to the magnificent power of the World of No Place.
Envies PAGE 22, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
We think we possess what is real, of truth, to hold in the palm of our hand, a fragile secret of the world as we know it, yet it is the longing of the possession of the unknowable, the ephemerality of an object’s power to seduce us with this, that keeps us enthralled.
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 23
TEXT | FICTION
by Sandra Yuen Mackay
The Investment
Jeff liked to smoke outside, watching people walk their dogs. He lived next door. He owned a
Envy motivates. In the age of the leveraged
not him. Jeff thought nothing about the cost of dinner out or the price of a carton of Marlboros.
used car dealership. I was unemployed, and in fact unemployable. Welfare supported me, but
buyout, that is apparently a good thing. Results, like the fine print says, however,
He owned a black Mercedes. I took the bus. He invested his money, probably in stocks or
may vary.
property. Did his money mean something to me? I had no savings. All I had was time. If I invested in time spent with him, would I get a higher return? I convinced myself that he was a relationship ready to happen. All it took was a push. I imagined he wanted me more than an evening with his Siamese cat, a six-pack or cigarettes. I was the sinner, the black stain, the burnt embers hanging on the end. On bad days, I felt no love of self or hope in the future. I forgot more than I could remember. I saw Jeff in a tv commercial. He wore a big smile. I drooled at the sight of his Armani suit and slick hair. I threw clothes out of my closet, looking for the sexiest outfit I could find. Distressed, I found nothing except a black dress with a hole in it. After dark, he pulled into in his driveway. I stood under the porch light, waiting for the right moment. “Jeff.” “Hi. What’s your name?” “Susan.” “Did you just move in? I haven’t seen you before.” About three months ago. I’m in 201.” “Oh, it seems like yesterday when Mrs. Owens lived there with her poodle. How time flies.” “W-would you like to--“ I stammered. He took the stairs two at a time and offered his hand. His palm felt warm against mine. My words caught in my throat. There was so much I wanted to say. “I’ve got something for you,” he said. He reached into his pocket and handed me a business card with his picture on it. “I’d like to invite you to our big sale tomorrow down at the car lot. Anytime you’re in the market, come see me. I’ve got the best deals in town.” “Gee, thanks.” “The pleasure’s all mine.” He turned on a dime and left. I took the card inside and taped it to my mirror. One day, all that he has could be mine too. All it would take was the investment of time.
Envies PAGE 24, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
Sandra Yuen MacKay is a writer/artist living in Vancouver, BC. She has a BA in art history from UBC.
IMAGES | COLLAGE
by Jeremy Todd
Cannibal Holocaust
Jeremy Todd is a Vancouver artist, curtator and educator
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 25
TEXT | COLUMN
the guitarplayer was telling me stories of some of the residents. i was listening cause i am always interested in such stories, i dunno what it is, surfeit of empathy, couldbeeme-ness, hard to tell. i think everyone is afraid of somehow ending up there, of having no choices. maybe that's what makes musicians good at this kinda work. the couldbeme-ness. maybe no one else but a couldbeme would do this kind of work. you know they like to talk, he says, they would talk all night if i let them. i mop the hall floor and the same guy always comes. opens his door and talks heyhowareyas. he is mostly incoherent so i don't understand much of it, but he keeps talking at me until i walk away. it's the drugs and sometimes the lack of them. most smoke crack and then there are some who are mental. and some who are mental and smoke crack too. which makes them even more mental. then the phone rings. i pick it up, and it says, hi this is bob. you know, johnson. oh wow, i say, i haven't talked to you in like, five years or something. maybe ten years or fifteen. time passes, i say.
by Elizabeth Fischer
Swede the Carpenter
i remember bob from a longtime ago. he had a strange shape. which is what i mostly remember about him. longstick legs and a round belly like a balloon. and that he admired the swede.
Envy comes in a variety of forms: the long sustained type, and the short
the swede and i had been friends for years. for a while we shared a
stabbing kind. Sometimes, however,
house on the west side of the city. then bob moved in too, in the
the two overlap.
extra room. bob and the swede lived downstairs and i in the attic.
i was feeding a guitar player, cooked him some dinner. we were discussing his job. which is the nightshift at a local hotel for
one night, i came home from somewhere and all my paintings had
addicts and crazy people. a bunch of musicians i know work there
been ripped off the wall. bob was home. he was very drunk, incoherent.
cause they have patience for such things. it also pays well. but it's
what the fuck, why did you do that?
a very hard job in many ways. just then the swede walked in the front door. the hotel is down on hastings street. well, it's a welfare hotel and residence in one. cause a society runs it and they hire people to
the next thing i know, bob is flat on his ass in the front yard, with
socialwork there. not too many people want to do that though,
a rapidly growing mound of his possessions around him. the swede
cause you look around and it's a hard life. not too many people
is emptying bob's room, throwing everything he owns after him. fuck
want to know that every day.
off, he says, and don't come back.
you look around and it's hard, all the broken people. you look at
so it's bob on the phone. he says he has some bad news. oh i know
the street, as it slopes down from the corner of main down hastings
what it is, i think to myself, i know what it is.
and it hums. the street emits a low dirty hum and everything you see is grey. the colours are grey. the people scurry, tumble about,
bob says, i have some bad news. the swede is dead.
huddle in doorways, their faces the fadedpink grey of rats. some stand in line, wrapped in blankets. waiting for something or
swede the carpenter. this is the story of the swede, not of bob, nor
somewhere to go. the lucky ones wait inside, in the dingy
of the guitarplayer and the junkies and whores and crazies.
pissinthehall rooming houses.
Envies PAGE 26, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
WESTERN FRONT PROGRAMME EVENTS
May - June 2008
The Western Front Society (est. 1973) is an artist-run centre that focuses on the production and presentation of exhibitions, performance art, new music, media including video, audio and telecommunications, publications, spoken word and a bi-monthly arts magazine. Through a residency program, local, national and international artists are invited to create new works in this interdisciplinary environment. The Western Front is a member of the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres (PAARC), the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA), B.C. Association of Magazine Publishers (BCAMP), the Canadian Magazine Publishers Associaton (CMPA) and the Alliance for Arts and Culture.
28
NEW MUSIC
30
EXHIBITIONS
32
MEDIA ARTS
34
STAFF AND MEMBERS
The Western Front is committed to the representation of all forms of diversity in its programming, membership, administration and audience development. It promotes and welcomes the participation of people of Native ancestry and members of Canada’s many different cultural communities. For current events and programme information, visit: www.front.bc.ca
WESTERN FRONT FRONT
EVENTS PAGE 27
WESTERN FRONT EVENTS: May - June 2008
NEW MUSIC
EXPLORE THE WORLD OF SOUND The 2008 Vancouver International Children’s Festival plays host to SONIC PLAYGROUND, an 8-day event featuring more than thirty local sound and music artists. Machines, toys, computers, quilts, and more become instruments in this interactive sound tent. With musical performances throughout the day, a self-guided soundwalk and unusual sonic sculptures to explore (both indoor and out), Sonic Playground encourages curiosity in an environment where no noise is a bad noise. Sonic Playground artists include: Kathryn Best, Frederick Brummer, Diana Burgoyne, Miles de Courcy, Gretchen Elsner, Erato Ensemble, Martin Fisk, Victoria Gibson, Mark Haney, Michael Hathaway, Lee Hutzulak, Katherine Johnston Odette LeBlanc, Lisa Miller, Brad Muirhead, Paul Plimley, Jean Routhier, Rusty Tin Can, Ron Samworth, Kyle Shepard, Stefan Smulovitz, Nina Spinney, Rachael Wadham.
Look for the SONIC PLAYGROUND tent at the Vancouver International Children's Festival, Vanier Park, May 12 - 19, 2008 Free with site admission. For daily performance schedules and further information go to www.front.bc.ca/sonicplayground or www.childrensfestival.ca Sonic Playground is a joint initiative of Western Front New Music Vancouver International Children's Festival Vancouver New Music New Orchestra Workshop Society.
PAGE 28, FRONT
June 20-29 AT THE WESTERN FRONT 303 E. 8th Avenue Nightly at 5:30 PM. Tickets: All shows $15 each. Students/Senior $13 Jazz Hotline 604 872 5200 Ticketmaster 604 280 4444 www.coastaljazz.ca
Friday, June 20 Barry Guy and Maya Homburger Saturday, June 21 Benoit Delbecq with Quatuor Bozzini Sunday, June 22 Ig Henneman and Ab Baars Monday, June 23 Torsten M端ller, Jeb Bishop and Dylan van der Schyff Tuesday, June 24 Quatuor Bozzini Wednesday, June 25 Steamboat Switzerland Thursday, June 26 Harris Eisenstadt Vancouver Quartet Friday, June 27 Vivian Houle and Stefan Smulovitz
Left to right: Barry Guy, Benoit Delbecq,Quatuor Bozzini
FRONT, PAGE 29
WESTERN FRONT EVENTS: May - June 2008
E X H I B I T I O N S + P E R FO R M A N C E A R T
Kits for an Encounter Azra Aksamija, Steven Brekelmans, Limor Fried, Max Goldfarb, Janice Kerbel, Lize Mogel, Vahida Ramujkic, Noam Toran, Judi Werthein Curated by Candice Hopkins & Marisa Jahn April 26 - May 31, 2008 Opening Reception: Friday April 25, 8PM
Image:Page from the book “Sengen bez muke/ Schengen with ease”, Compiled by Vahida Ramujkic, 2006
“Kits for an Encounter” is an exhibition that examines artists’ kits that instigate or trouble the notion of an encounter, social or otherwise. Providing the equipment needed to initiate a situation, kits can be characterized by their promissory quality, embodying potential and containing the possibility for transformation. Many kits provide the sculptural and performative components needed to frame a social encounter, functioning as the control to unforeseen variables. A book to be released in Fall 2008, Recipes for an Encounter, functions as an extension to the exhibition. It is edited by Berin Golonu (Associate Curator of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco), Candice Hopkins (Director/Curator of Western Front Exhibitions), Marisa Jahn (Artist and Co-Director of Pond).
A survey of material from a variety of official and non-official sources, compiled to explain how daily practices are affected by the application of the Schengen Agreement in the European Union. The structure of the book appropriates the method used in the foreign languages skills series "Assimil" edites by Aphonse Cherel (Paris, 1929). The book treats "bureaucratic language" as the foreign language a new arrival would have to learn in order to assimilate into this new European surrounding. PAGE 30, FRONT
WORKSHOP & ONE EVENING INSTALLATION:
Upcoming in June:
Volume Drawings: Invisible Structures, MovementTriggered Boundaries
everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler
Saturday May 31, 2008, 12-7 pm Public Viewing & Reception: Saturday May 31, 2008, 5:30-7 pm, Western Front, Luxe Hall
June 7 - July 12, 2008 Opening Reception: Friday, June 6, 8 pm
Fee: $30.00 for the workshop general admission; $20.00 for students; $15.00 for Western Front members Reservations: exhibitions@front.bc.ca or call 604 876 9343 Facilitated by Max Goldfarb (US), Joanne Bristol (CAN), Marisa Jahn (US), dancers & musicians TBA Volume Drawings: Invisible Structures, MovementTriggered Boundaries is a workshop and installation inspired by the notion of “kit bashing”, in which a kit is appropriated or repurposed for an alternate use. Participants attending the workshop will solder and assemble a basic kit consisting of a trip-sensor and laser used in domestic and commercial surveillance (no prior electronics experience necessary). The group will subsequently experiment with this infrared drawing tool, its bearing on the body and movement, then build/choreograph a score of triggers and responses. Throughout this experiment, participants will experiment with sound, feedback, and delays in collaboration with a Vancouver-based electronic musician. The workshop culminates in an hour-long installation open to the public where the invisible architecture will be performed and experienced.
Above , image for “Mediating Bodies”, supplied by Nathalie Loveless
Artists: Abbas Akhavan, Arabella Campbell, Antonia Hirsch, Paul Kajander, Sarah Mameni, Ron Tran Curated by Juan Gaitan The exhibition's title comes from a text from 1970 by Dore Ashton, art critic of the abstract expressionist moment and vehement opponent of minimalist and conceptualist practices. In her view, aesthetic criteria were abandoned as a result of these practices that succeeded the painterly abstraction of the 1950s. This exhibition takes Ashton's writing as a starting point to create new artworks which draw upon a range of subject matters (social, political, etc.) that are inflected with art historical archetypes.
The Performance Art program is pleased to announce an upcoming weekend of performance art.
Mediating Bodies June 6 and 7, 2008, Round-table June 8, 2pm Facilitating the creation of new work by some of Europe and North America's most engaging interdisciplinary and performance artists, “Mediating Bodies” brings together a traditional attention to ‘liveness’ (through endurance and duration) with performance actions that assert the individual artist’s body as mediated body. These events will culminate in a round-table discussion that reinvestigates historical tensions between “mediation” and “liveness” in contemporary body art (June 8, open to the public). Natalie Loveless is an artist, critic and theorist currently completing a Ph.D. in the History of Consciousness department of the University of California at Santa Cruz on trans-disciplinarity and its implications for new models of pedagogy and socially engaged art practices. Since 2003 her work has included conversation-based installation, social intervention work and more traditional forms of durational actionart. She has exhibited/performed both locally and abroad in Europe, North, Central and South America, and Asia. FRONT, PAGE 31
WESTERN FRONT EVENTS: May - June 2008
MEDIA ARTS
Above: David Clark, The Light Touch, Installation of slides and slide sheet, 10'x 6' each, 2007, Anna Leonowens Gallery, Halifax, (Photo: Nick Rudnicki
Artist-in-Residence
David Clark May 2 - 23, 2008
Halifax-based media artist and filmmaker David Clark will work with local Vancouver composer Jeff Toyne to develop The Turing Test, a non-linear digital opera for the internet. Clark and Toyne will research and develop integrating music composition with the interactive experience design and aesthetic of the work, creating a layered digital collage that reveals intersecting stories and sounds when experienced online. Nonsequential aspects of the internet will be placed in juxtaposition with the conventions and structural forms of musical composition. The completed work will be an interdisciplinary combination of new technology and a cultural form of expression highly linked to its own history – web programming and opera. Artist Presentation: May 22, 2008, 8 PM David Clark will discuss recent and ongoing digital media projects and his interest in 'associational narratives' and non-linear media forms. He will present past projects such as A is for Apple, 88 Constellations for Wittgenstein, and Meanwhile as well as detail his work in progress for Western Front Media Arts, the digital opera The Turing Test. PAGE 32, FRONT
International Call for Proposals:
Between Video and Performance New Feminist Strategies Media Arts Residency, September 2008 The Western Front Society, Vancouver
In 2008, it still remains a fact that the most successful artists are male: 86.5% to be exact (Artifacts.net Top 100). Western Front Media Arts seeks proposals for new works in feminist video and performance for a unique residency at The Western Front, Vancouver, Canada that will commence in September 2008. In October and November 2008, the produced work will be included in a forthcoming exhibition of feminist video art at the Western Front, co-curated by Alissa Firth-Eagland and Candice Hopkins. Media Arts Residencies at the Western Front The Media Arts Residency Program at the Western Front promotes experimentation and innovation by inviting local, national, and international artists to research and produce new works in media arts. In keeping with the Western Front's emphasis on interdisciplinary practices, this program forefronts unique explorations of undefined creative arenas including, but not limited to: site-specific gestures, experimental projects, process pieces and unusual initiatives in media art practice today. The focus of this residency is to support the production of a new experimental work for presentation within the larger context of feminist creative practices. Western Front Media Arts seeks to present a range of artists; artists from all levels of experience are strongly encouraged to apply, as are artists from diverse backgrounds. Applications from artists from other disciplines who wish to expand their creative practices into media arts are welcomed. Projects are made possible through access to production facilities and technical support from an expert team of qualified staff and volunteers. Financial support is available in the form of travel expenses and artist fees. For further details, visit www.front.bc.ca or contact media@front.bc.ca . The exhibition will present a range of video-based practices that explore the relationship between liveness and media, the roots of feminist video, persona development as a critical methodology, and the performance of gender. This exhibition will feature the works of Canadian feminist art pioneers Kate Craig and Wendy Geller as well as works by local and international artists. In association with the Vancouver Art Gallery’s WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution, the exhibition is conceived as a contribution to the larger discourses of WACK! and highlights women artists using videomaking as a strategy and proposes alternatives to dominant narratives of contemporary art. How to Apply Artists wishing to be considered for Between Video and Performance - New Feminist Strategies Media Arts Residency in September 2008 are invited to submit proposals on or before Friday May 30th, 2008. Candidates must send a project description, production schedule, technical specifications and CV by post only, to: Between Video and Performance - New Feminist Strategies Media Arts Programme,The Western Front, 303 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver BC, V5T 1S1, 604-876-9343 FRONT, PAGE 33
WESTERN FRONT
THE WESTERN FRONT
ORGANIZATION Staff Director/Curator Media Arts Programme: Alissa Firth-Eagland (media@front.bc.ca) Director/Curator Exhibitions: Candice Hopkins (exhibitions@front.bc.ca) Director/Curator New Music Progamme: Ben Wilson (newmusic@front.bc.ca) Guest Curator Performance Art Programme: Natalie Loveless (perfart@front.bc.ca) Directors/Co-Curators FRONT Magazine: Leanne Johnson, Andreas Kahre (frontmagazine@front.bc.ca) Bookkeeper: Ann Hepper (bookkeeping@front.bc.ca) Technical Directors: Eileen Kage, Ben Rogalsky, Sandra Wintner (tech@front.bc.ca) Exhibitions Assistant: Mark Soo (exhibitions@front.bc.ca) New Music Assistant: Ben Wilson (adminassistant@front.bc.ca) Interim Operations Manager: Michael Birchall (admin@front.bc.ca) The Western Front would like to recognize the work of our current interns: Deniz Merdanogullari (FRONT Magazine) and Sunran Elizabeth Park (Media Arts), and thank our volunteers. Thanks also to Michael Birchall and all the best for his move to Banff. Sustaining Members Jack & Maryon Adelaar, Robin Blaser, Cath Bray, Coat Cooke, Chris & Sophie Dikeakos, Karen Gelmon & Peter Busby, Martin Gotfrit & Patricia Gruben, Mark King, DD Kugler, Friedel & Martin Maché, Sheila MacPherson & Bill Smith, Gary McFarlane & Paul DeGuzman, Peggy & John McLernon, Bernice & Frank Miller, John & Helen O'Brian, Judy Radul, Abraham Rogatnick, Jayce Salloum, Anna Stauffer Western Front Board of Directors Erin Boniferro – president Lorna Brown – vice president Charo Neville – secretary Keith Wallace Kate Armstrong Juan Gaitan Geraldine Parent Diana Burgoyne – acting treasurer William Enwright
The Western Front is grateful for the support of our members and the following:
Western Front Foundation
PAGE 34, FRONT
The Western Front Foundation was formed in 2001 to build an endowment fund that will ensure the longterm sustainability of the Western Front Society. Your gift to the Foundation will leave a permanent legacy, generating interest to support the work of the Society for many years to come. The endowment is managed on behalf of the Western Front Foundation by the Vancouver Foundation. Help us to build a secure future. For information on how you can support the work of the Western Front Foundation, please send email to info@front.bc.ca, or call the Western Front directly at 604-876-9343. www.vancouverfoundation.bc.ca/GrantInformation/Media.shtml
Canadian Academy of Independent Scholars Inaugural Symposium Public Intellectuals Today: Modes & Models of Independent Scholarship Keynote Speaker:
John Ralston Saul
Photo: Kate Szatmari
The Independent Scholar and Public Intellectual in a Corporatist Era.
Saturday, May 24 – Sunday, May 25 Simon Fraser University Vancouver 515 West Hastings Street For related Symposium Events, Reservations, and additional information go to: www.independentscholars.net. Or email Elena Feder, at symposiumcais@shaw.ca
August 20 -24, 2008
Subscribe to FRONT PESKY PEACOCKS
How do you get the latest in Contemporary Art and Ideas by emerging, established, artists and writers from Vancouver and beyond? Fill out this form and you will receive five FRONT Magazines a year delivered to your front door.
How can I get FRONT delivered to my house? Just fill out this order form and we will send you a bill — along with the next issue of FRONT. Yes, sign me up for one year at $15.90 Yes, sign me up for two years at $26.50 Full Name:
colour texture decadence magic
Address: City: Province/State: Postal Code: Country: Phone: Email:
604-874-1030 221 East 16th Avenue, Vancouver BC
Send to: FRONT Magazine, 303 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5T 2S1. Tel. 604.876.9343, Fax 604.876.4099
CONTEMPORARY ART AND IDEAS
May Sunday
Monday
Tuesday WF Exhibitions Kits for an Encounter to May 31 Surrey Art Gallery Search/Research to June 15
4
5
6
11
12
13
WF Music Sonic Playground May 12 to 19th Vanier Park
18
25
19
26
Wednesday Access The Storm and the Fall Vanessa Kwan to June 7 CAG Stephen Waddell Allison Hrabluik to June 1 RAG Chang, Ihaya, Koenker to June 1
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2 WF Media Arts David Clark artist in Residence Artspeak Island Developments Cranfield and Hilder opening 8pm
3 Presentation House Gallery Moodyville May 3 - June 15 Opening May 2, 8pm
7
8 Or Gallery This Particular Day in June Cesarco/Koh/Lexier opening 8pm
14
15
Cinematheque Dampworld/ Dampcity Screening 7:30pm and 9:30pm Book launch
20
27
9 Malaspina Super Human Be-in Elizabeth Zvonar opening 8pm
16 Centre A How to Feed a Piano performance/opening 7:30pm exhibition to May 24 Belkin Gallery Idyll 3 exhibitions opens to Aug 10
21
22
23
Centre A How to Feed a Piano panel discussion 7pm
WF Media Arts David Clark artist in Residence presentation 8pm
Helen Pitt And Another Thing Bill Mavreas opens to June 14th
28 Cineworks Thought on Film IV Reading/Discussion 6pm
29
30 Western Front Between Video and Performance New Feminist Strategies submission deadline
Envies
Special feature: The FRONT index of useful terminology
PAGE 42, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
envysion, n. [EnPviSn]
L. E. S. Gallery Part II: Drawing Olias/ Whitman opens to May 17 Artspeak Island Developments Cranfield and Hilder artists talk 2pm 10 Access The Storm and the Fall Vanessa Kwan artist talk 2pm SFU Gallery Storyville Portraits E J Bellocq screening and panel discussion 2pm opens to June 14
17 Cineworks Intro. to Film Work May 17 to 18th Open Space We Are Not Alone group exhibition opening 7pm 24 Cineworks Beyond the Moving Image May 24 to 25th RAG Chang, Ihaya, Koenker artist tours 2pm Surrey Art Gallery Search/Research conversations in the gallery 1pm L. E. S. Gallery Part III: Installation group exhibition opens to June 14 SFU Continuing Studies Inaugural Symposium May 24 to 25th 31 Belkin Gallery Idyll 3 exhibitions opening 1pm WF Exhibitions Volume Drawings workshop noon to 7pm viewing 5:30 to 7pm
ADVERTISERS’ Events CALENDAR
June Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
3
4
5 FCA Gallery Painting on the Edge Call for Submissions deadline
7
8
9
10
11
12
6 Cineworks Intro. to Final Cut Pro June 6 to 8th Centre A Showroom group exhibition opening 8pm WF Exhibitions everything should be made as simple ... opening 8pm WF Performance Art Mediating Bodies to June 7 roundtable June 8, 2pm opening 8pm
CAG Max Dean Samuel Roy-Bois opens June 12 to Aug 24th
15
16
17
18
19 SFU Gallery The Constant Search for a Better Way group exhibition opening 7pm
22 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Henneman and Baars WF Luxe 5:30pm
23 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Muller/Bishop/van der Schyff WF Luxe 5:30pm Open Space Steamboat Switzerland performance 8pm
29
30
24 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Quatuor Bozzini WF Luxe 5:30pm
25 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Steamboat Switzerland WF Luxe 5:30pm Open Space Mller/Butcher/van der Schyff trio performance 8pm
26 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Harris Eisenstadt Vancouver Quartet WF Luxe 5:30pm
14
13 Access Michael Markowsky opening 8pm
20 Vancouver International Jazz Festival opens to June 29 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Guy and Homburger WF Luxe 5:30pm Artspeak Role Denise Oleksijczuk opening 8pm 27
21 Vancouver International Jazz Festival Benoit Delbecq with QuatuorBozzini WF Luxe 5:30pm Artspeak Role Denise Oleksijczuk artist talk 2pm
28
Vancouver International Jazz Festival Houle and Smulovitz WF Luxe 5:30pm
1) A condition whereby the view ahead is clouded by fury at another’s mere existence.
Envies FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008, PAGE 43
IMAGE | PHOTOGRAPH
Untitled by Jeff Otto O'Brien.
Envies PAGE 44, FRONT, MAY | JUNE 2008
Jeff Otto O'Brien is a Vancouver-based conceptual street photographer. In May, he will be in a group show at the Pierro Gallery, New Jersey. See also: http://otto-obrien.com/